The World of a Madman
by Sirtoshi
Summary: A single-chapter story set several months after the end of Season 1. After a mission goes awry, Ruby must make the journey home. When she arrives, however, she finds Beacon in a much more strange and dire situation than when she had left. Minor shipping for plot purposes only. Canon characters (no OC). Mild language, somewhat less mild violence.


**Author's Note:**

Welcome, esteemed reader! This is the first time in a while that I've done any writing, and it's the first time in a LONG while that I've done any fanfiction. The artists of the RWBY fandom, however, sparked my interest, so I decided to give it a shot. Please bear with me!

Just a warning: since this is a one-shot story that I intended to be a single entity, I did not want to split it into multiple parts. As a result, it is one very long chapter (around 8000 words). So I apologize if the length is too daunting. Other than that, thanks for stopping by!

* * *

RWBY: The World of a Madman

On a quiet day, the dense forested region of Forever Fall was a place of pleasantry and peace…aside from the occasional Grimm attack. The echoing shots of a certain sniper-scythe, however, promptly pushed all hopes of a quiet day out the window and over the nearest cliff. Red leaves and rose petals danced and twisted through the air as the red-cloaked huntress-in-training rocketed through the trees. Looking behind her, Ruby noticed that her team was nowhere to be seen. With the combined maximum velocities of both her semblance and Crescent Rose, even she had lost track of her speed. Caution, however, was not an option when some helpless soul was screaming in the distance.

Ruby reflected on what had happened three minutes ago. Team RWBY had been assigned to scour the area of Forever Fall and clear out any Grimm they could find. Students had been reporting a recent increase in attacks in the forest, and Ruby was determined to uphold her duty as a protector of the people. Naturally, when cries for help had come trickling through the woods, the red-haired girl had darted off without a word.

Now, as the wind rushed past her face, Ruby could hear that she was almost upon the source of the noise. Shifting sideways and unfolding her weapon, the girl held her scythe up, cleaving through several black tree branches before losing enough velocity to catch one intact. Her momentum spun her up and over before sending her down to the leaf-covered floor. Ruby landed and held her pose for a second before turning her gaze up, expecting to see one of the black, soulless creatures.

What actually waited there was not far off. A man sporting a white coat, green eyes, orange hair, a black bowler hat, and a vicious smirk stood proudly next to a few White Fang soldiers near the edge of a cliff that faced the pink dusk sky. The addition of a gray and red cane finished the unmistakable assailant's getup.

"Roman…" she said through gritted teeth. With the increasing frequency at which she was encountering this scoundrel, she believed a first-name basis was appropriate.

"Red!" yelled Roman with charisma. "All this way to visit me? I'm flattered!" That creepy grin would not leave his face.

Ruby was about to retort when she noticed the two White Fang soldiers binding a girl clad in Beacon uniform. She seemed to have conceded defeat, her screams from earlier reduced to mere whimpers. Ruby shot an angry look back at Roman. "Kidnapping? Really? I thought someone like you would have more class than that!" The red girl rushed forward, swinging her scythe in a wide arc.

Without even changing his stance, Roman blocked her strike with his cane and repelled her with a swift kick to the girl's torso. Ruby doubled over, holding her stomach and trying to catch her breath. The smug-faced gentleman just waved a finger at her. "Sorry Red, but we're going to have to cut this little reunion short. The boys and I have an unforgiving schedule today. But hey, it's been fun!" He smiled his sly smile before tossing a shimmering white Dust crystal into the air toward Ruby. "Jump!" he yelled to his henchmen. The girl watched with surprise as the entire party launched over the cliff while Roman fired a shot from his cane directly at the airborne gem.

"Roman, wait! RO-"

* * *

Her head was screaming at her with earth-shattering intensity. Or at least she thought it was her head. It may very well have been the entire damn world.

The incessant ringing subsided after some time, after which Ruby blinked until her vision returned. _Alrighty, ears and eyes are undamaged_, she thought. She then realized that she was lying on the forest floor, blown backward by Roman's parting gift. Still in a slight daze, Ruby turned her head toward the cliff in time to see a Bullhead aircraft with the White Fang insignia flee into the darkening sky.

The red-cloaked girl closed her eyes and gave a heavy sigh. She had failed to save that poor girl. And no matter how hard she tried, Roman kept evading her grasp. _How could I ever call myself a huntress_?

Deciding to leave such melancholy thoughts for another time, Ruby returned to a standing position. She then received the sudden realization of that mistake as pain shot up and down her legs and torso. _Nope, definitely not a good idea. _The girl unfolded her scythe and leaned on it, collecting her strength before starting her defeated shamble toward Beacon.

Twenty minutes later, Ruby was stopped in a clearing, her breathing heavy from exhaustion. The fading pink light of the sky was quickly losing its battle against the encroaching darkness of the night. _If I don't make it back before_…she didn't want to finish the thought. She could hear thunder booming in the distance. The red-haired girl tried to quicken her pace, only to trip over herself and fall, tossing red leaves in every direction. She felt a light patter of rain hitting her back. Frustrated beyond belief, Ruby mumbled a curse into the ground.

"Sorry, I couldn't quite hear ya," said a friendly voice as a pair of strong hands gripped Ruby's shoulders and returned her to her feet. Lacking the strength to hold this posture, however, the girl stumbled back onto her unknown companion's torso.

"Ack! I'm sorry!" exclaimed Ruby. She turned her head up and was greeted by sapphire eyes and blond hair. The red-haired girl let loose an ecstatic smile. "Jaune!"

Pulling Ruby's left arm over his shoulders while she folded and stored Crescent Rose, Jaune Arc returned her warm expression. "I ran straight here after I heard the explosion and saw the Bullhead take off! Are you alri-…" he started to ask, stopping when he seemed to realize that the answer was obvious.

Ruby gave a small laugh. "I wouldn't be leaning on you if I were." A sudden crack of thunder turned her eyes upward. A harsh layer of dark gray blanketed the sky. The rain hitting her face was even harder than before. _Where the hell did this storm come from? _ "Jaune, I don't think I can make it back like this!" she yelled over the increasing applause of the rain.

"Oh, right, right…" the blond boy trailed off. "Uh, let me see if I can find some shelter. You look like you need the rest anyway."

A few minutes later, Ruby and Jaune were sitting in small cave, hiding from the downpour that had evolved to torrential levels. The scythe-wielder was wringing the water from her red cloak while her companion ignited a small campfire. "Good. This should keep us warm for a while," he commented.

Ruby shot him a puzzled look. "A while? How long are we planning on staying?"

"Look out there, Ruby," Jaune said with exasperation as he gestured toward the darkness beyond the entrance. "With this kind of weather and the threat of Grimm, trying to make the trek home at night would be suicide." Ruby silently agreed and backed down, still surprised at how suddenly such a wicked tempest had appeared.

The red girl sighed. She wanted to be at home, with her team. None of them even witnessed her failure today, yet their company would cheer her up immensely. _Still_, she thought, _at least Jaune's here. He's my friend. And I'd probably be stranded out in the forest if he hadn't shown up. _Suddenly remembering something, Ruby turned toward Jaune, a wide grin on her face.

The look of worry he gave her amused Ruby to no end. "Wha…what is it?" he asked in a shaky tone.

Ruby lied back on the dusty floor of the cave before answering. "You've been improving your aura skills, right? I hear you've even learned some healing techniques."

"Well yeah, sort of…" Jaune started, a shy smile on his face. "I mean, I'm still not exactly the-"

"Good!" chirped Ruby. "I'm still sore from earlier. You wouldn't mind demonstrating those skills of yours, would you? Please?" she added, realizing how demanding she might have sounded during her attempt to lighten the mood.

"I…ugh, fine. I'll do what I can." The blond boy sat beside her and extended his arms, hands aglow with pulsing energy.

Suddenly Ruby glared at him. "And hey…don't try anything funny." She held her stare.

"Ack, what?! RUBY!" Jaune yelled as he reeled back.

The girl, unable to sustain her stoic expression, suddenly broke out in laughter. "Just kidding, lover boy. Of course I know who you're really interested in," she said with a wink, thinking of a certain emerald-eyed warrior girl. Ruby giggled at his confused face. _Look at him, acting all clueless. How adorable._

* * *

_There should be a rule against this,_ thought Ruby. _It's too early in the morning for surprises_.

Upon awakening to the muted sunlight playing into the cave, Ruby had instinctively stood up and stretched. Suddenly realizing her repeated action from yesterday, the girl had prepared herself for the painful repercussions. However, the pain had simply ceased to exist. She felt rejuvenated and filled to the brim with energy, as if someone had siphoned the power of the sun into her bloodstream. _How did he do that? Did he really improve THAT much with his aura skills?_

Ruby redirected her attention toward Jaune, who was holding his hand out of the cave entrance and looking toward the sky. "The rain's softened up," he commented. "We'd better get moving." A flurry of rose petals indicated that Ruby was already a step ahead of him.

The pair of students walked for over an hour, getting lost among the nearly identical red trees of Forever Fall. Eventually, however, the scenery began to look familiar. Ruby quickened her pace as she realized how close they were getting. She looked back, smiled at Jaune, and held out her hand for theatrical flair. "Just over this ridge, our salvation awaits at long last," she proclaimed in a charismatic tone as she turned forward. "Ladies and gentlemen, behold! Bea-"

The name of the school she'd been longing to see for the past eleven hours was caught in her throat. She gazed on the sight before her with widened silver eyes as Jaune took his place beside her, speechless. Ruby's voice trembled as the words slowly crawled from her mouth. "…what the hell…Beacon…"

The red-haired girl was still trying to comprehend the entire scene. Pillars of dark smoke stretched into the sky from numerous places. Several of the buildings had sustained structural damage; some were even sporting bright orange flames. Soldiers marched across the school grounds, herding students as if they were cattle. Three large airships and countless Bullheads hovered in Beacon's air space, all bearing the symbol of the White Fang.

Suddenly, three of those Bullheads swooped down and surrounded the lone students. Four Fang soldiers leapt out of each ship, brandishing their guns. Ruby was still too shocked to resist them as she and Jaune were captured. The two students were loaded onto separate craft before being flown to the center of the school.

The trip through the sky only worsened Ruby's spirits. She hadn't noticed from her vantage point near the forest, but now she could several bodies lying about the grounds. _Bodies. Both Beacon and White Fang. People died during this siege._ Tears welled up in the girl's eyes. _Why wasn't I here to stop it? _Unable to bear the sight, she spent the remainder of the trip leaning back with her damp eyes closed.

After landing at the central building, the soldiers dragged Ruby along the corridors, stopping at the headmaster's office. "The Headmaster would like to speak with you," said one of the guards in a stoic tone before opening it for Ruby.

The red girl, eager to see a familiar face, rushed in. "Ozpin!" she shouted at the chair facing away from the door.

The reply to her small cry of hope only crushed it further. "Sorry kid, old Ozzy's taking a spontaneous leave of absence," said the chair's occupant. Ruby shuddered at the voice she knew all too well. The seat rotated at a suspenseful pace. White coat. Green eyes. Orange hair. Black hat. Roman sat with a smirk behind the desk, holding a familiar mug of steaming coffee. "I'll be keeping an eye on his little 'academy'," he air-quoted, "for the time being."

The rage in her was beginning to swirl. Ruby's mind kept stirring up the images from minutes ago. The smoke. The fire. The ruin. The bodies. Everything clashed together, igniting and burning away what little self-control she had retained. "WHY?!" she screamed at the man in the chair. In a single motion, Ruby unfolded her scythe and brought the gleaming blade within inches of Roman's neck.

Two Fang guards raised their weapons, but Roman motioned for them to stand down. He shifted his gaze toward Ruby. "Some simple advice for you, Red," he said with a calm and level voice. "Give up. Your teachers and your precious 'teams' have lost."

A sudden realization hit Ruby like a Deathstalker claw. _RWBY and JNPR!_ Her grip on Crescent Rose tightened. "Where are my friends, you sick freak?"

Roman chuckled. "Relax. Your friends are safe, sound, and confined to their quarters, just like the rest of the students." He took a slow, victorious swig from the mug. "Well, the ones who survived, at least." Ruby cocked her rifle, becoming more enraged by his nonchalant remarks. If Roman was at all intimidated, he showed no sign of it. "Look, Red. Look around you. It's over. You're like a candle flame in a snowstorm," his lips curled upward, "valiant, bright, admirable…and doomed to fade into nothing but smoldering trash."

The man pressed the button on an intercom. "Take her," he said. When the door opened moments later, his eyes brightened with excitement. "Oh, I'm sorry Red! I need to amend my earlier statement. Not all of your friends are in their quarters." Light, elegant footsteps drew closer from behind. "Captain Belladonna has agreed to lead some of White Fang's forces."

Ruby wheeled around, only to be caught staring down Gambol Shroud's dark barrel. She looked past the weapon and at her teammate. Blake Belladonna was clad in White Fang armor and had abandoned her black bow, leaving her feline ears in full view. "Stow your weapon and come with me," said the Faunus in a cold tone. "I will shoot if you don't comply."

Ruby could not believe it. "Shoot me, Blake? Shoot ME?! Come on, we're frie-"

Her outburst was silenced by the deafening bang of Blake's weapon. Ruby felt the bullet fly past her left ear. Surrendering to the situation after a few tense seconds, Ruby folded her scythe and fell in line behind Blake, who had started a brisk walk out the door. The red girl held back her tears as she stared at the person striding in front of her. Her friend. _Well, maybe it'll be FORMER friend soon,_ she thought. Neither girl said anything for the rest of the journey.

* * *

Ruby quietly opened the door to her dorm room, dragging her feet as she entered. "Guys, I'm back."

Her solemn greeting was readily answered. Not by a "Ruby!" or a "Thank gods you're safe," but rather by a swift slap across the face.

"Agh!" Ruby stumbled backward, holding her reddening cheek. She looked up to see the culprit: her partner, Weiss Schnee. The glare of her blue eyes, however, was the only thing that seemed normal. Her silver hair was a mess, barely tied back. Patches of dirt, ash, and blood were spread over her clothes and body. "You…" she said in a seething tone. "Do you know what you've done?"

The red girl was taken aback by the hostile advance. "Weiss, I-"

"We spent HOURS looking for you!" the battered girl's voice finally broke into a yell. "We scoured the entire damn forest! Where the hell were you?!" She backed Ruby against the closed door. Her tone returned to a more somber state. "…we all received the distress call on our scrolls. But by the time we got back, the White Fang assault was in full force. We tried to enter the fight…tried to do what we could. But…that traitorous bitch!" she clenched her hand into a trembling fist. "With Blake backing up the White Fang's forces, we didn't stand a chance. Not without you." The girl, with a defeated sigh, backed away from Ruby, returned to her bed, and collapsed face-first onto her pillow.

Ruby stood there, speechless. _I could have been there. I could have helped. I SHOULD have helped._ On the verge of panic, she turned to her sister. Yang Xiao Long was lying on her bed and had remained quiet the entire time. Her battle-weary condition was comparable to Weiss'. Ruby tried to approach her. "Yang…"

"Don't," was the blonde's stark reply. "Just…don't, Ruby. Just shut up." She rolled over on her sheets, facing her back toward her sister.

The red-cloaked girl was on the verge of tears. Her last bastion of hope, her sister, had always been there for her. Now even that door was shut and sealed with an iron chain. Unable to handle everything, she leapt onto her bed and screamed into her pillow. _It's all my fault_, she thought. _I couldn't protect my friends. I couldn't protect Beacon. I couldn't even protect that girl in the forest. _

She rolled over, damp eyes staring at the ceiling. _How did this happen? _ Now that she thought about it, the whole situation seemed surreal. _Beacon, taken down overnight by a single invasion force. That doesn't seem physically possible. _She put a hand to her head, massaging her skull. _Something definitely isn't right here. Even if Blake was an agent on the inside, the takeover shouldn't have been that easy._ Remembering an event from Weiss' story, she pulled out her scroll. The screen showed no sign of any recent alerts. _Why didn't I receive the distress signal? And Blake…I honestly never thought she would return to the White Fang. Especially under its current leadership._

Ruby peered over the edge of the bed. Both of her remaining teammates were either asleep or lost in their own thoughts. _Neither of them were even the slightest bit happy to see me alive and well._ Her heart sank. _I thought we were a team. Sisters. I've never even seen Blake as cold as she was today. Then again…I failed as a leader. I failed as a huntress. Maybe I deserve their contempt. _

The girl bolted upright, a thought crashing into her mind. She wasn't the only leader who hadn't been there. _JAUNE!_ Jumping down from her bed, Ruby opened the door a crack and checked for guard patrols before scurrying over to their neighbors' room.

She knocked twice and whispered, "It's Ruby." Without a response, the door swung open, allowing Ruby to sidle inside before it shut abruptly. She was standing face to face with Lie Ren. "Hi…" she said in a quiet tone. Ren glared at her for few moments before wordlessly returning to his chair. _Yep…didn't expect anything else,_ she thought. Nora Valkyrie was sitting on her bed, her arm around Pyrrha Nikos's shoulders in a consoling embrace. Jaune was sitting slouched in his chair, his blue eyes staring at the floor. By the expression on his face, Ruby knew that JNPR's opinion toward Jaune was similar to RWBY's opinion toward her.

"Everyone…I'm so sorry." Ruby wandered across the room toward Jaune. "It was my fault that Jaune was stuck in Forever Fall. Maybe if both of us were here, we could have…" she trailed off.

Jaune waved off her comment. "They already know the story, Ruby. Besides, I doubt that just the two of us could have turned the tide." The room's door creaked open again.

"Yes, you could have." Pyrrha was suddenly next them, staring them down with her emerald gaze. "The battle strategist," she yanked Jaune up by his blond hair, "and the child prodigy," she grabbed Ruby's cloak and pulled her closer. "You both could have been great…but you chose to be worthless. I never want to see either of you again," she said with trembling rage before hurling both of them through the door she had opened moments earlier. Without a word, Pyrrha slammed it shut.

Jaune returned to his feet, rubbing his head with a lazy hand. "Hmph," was his simple remark.

Ruby raised an eyebrow. _He took that better than he should have_. Seeing a guard patrolling the far end of the hallway, Ruby hurried back into her own room, dragging Jaune by the hood of his jacket. Closing the door, she turned to her teammates. Neither of them had moved since she left. _This is way too depressing_. "We have to do something," she muttered to Jaune.

The blond-haired boy suddenly shot up, his face filled with resolve. "Yes we do!" he proclaimed. Jaune walked over to the beds and roused their occupants. "Everyone, listen. I know how we can rectify this."

Weiss sat up and rolled her eyes. "What sort of a plan could a hopeless dunce like you have?"

Yang was a lot more receptive. "I'm listening, vomit boy. What's up?" Ruby smiled; she was glad to see that some of her sister's spirit had returned.

Jaune wore a wide, malicious grin that almost gave Ruby shivers. "It's simple: a sneak attack. Tonight. Those goons would never expect to see us rebel so soon."

Weiss sighed and sank back into her bed, but Yang jumped to her feet. "Immediate revolt, eh? I'm in. But you know," she scanned the room, "the four of us won't be able to do much damage."

The blond boy laughed. "Yes yes, I know. We'll have to sneak to the other students' rooms and rally whatever troops we can. But that means that all of us," he shot a glance at Weiss, who was sitting up again, "will have to cooperate." Weiss paused for a few seconds before giving a slow nod. "Good," said Jaune in a cheerful tone. "Let me give you the details, which you'll all pass on to the rooms that you visit. We all need to be perfectly synchronized when the time comes."

* * *

An eerie quiet had fallen over the academy. With the fires extinguished and the students lying in wait, the night was as still as a windless sea. The world seemed as if it was waiting for one titanic moment before erupting into chaos. In a way, that was exactly how the students of Beacon viewed the suspenseful evening.

Earlier that afternoon, one of the White Fang's airships had landed near the cliff side of Beacon. The first milestone of the rebel operation was to commandeer that vessel. After that, the students could use the armaments of the ship, along with their own forces on the ground, to tip the scales in their favor.

Of course, a heist of that caliber needed a very important starting step: a distraction. That distraction was gleefully strolling out to the arena, the pale moonlight bouncing off of her orange hair. With a tight grip on her grenade launcher Magnhild, Nora fired the first shot of the night. And the second. And the third. And the fourth. The girl danced and giggled, filling the sky above her with pink fire.

The mass of students waiting in shadow heard the echoing explosions in the distance and watched as five Bullheads and several squads of soldiers rushed to the arena. With area clear of White Fang, Jaune signaled the ragtag army to move forward. In almost perfect unison, the students pushed off, charging toward the parked airship. Ruby glanced at Jaune, who had held a smile the entire time. _What's wrong with him,_ she thought, returning her focus to the target ahead. _Can't he feel it? Rallying the students. Launching the attack. Everything's been a bit too…easy._

The crowd was nearing their destination. _Thirty more seconds._ Ruby wanted to feel hopeful. _Twenty-nine. _She wanted to believe. _Twenty-eight. _But she could not shake her worried intuition. _Twenty-_seven. Hoping that their leader would restore her confidence, she looked back to Jaune.

Nothing. She blinked. Still nothing. Jaune wasn't there. Her eyes scanned her surroundings frantically. Still nothing. "Jaune?!" she called out. Ruby strained her ears, trying to listen for a response.

The answer came in the next few seconds. Not from Jaune, but from the airship. With a deafening blast, the vessel's engines fired at maximum power, carrying it high above the ground. The airborne behemoth stirred the air into a swirling uproar. Three spotlights on the belly of the craft illuminated the wave of students below.

"It's a trap!" screamed Velvet Scarlatina over the howling winds and roaring engines.

"Scatter! Run!" shouted Cardin Winchester.

The fluid mass of students from a few seconds before shattered into a jumbled frenzy. People ran in every direction as the airship's weapons shifted into their combat positions. White Fang soldiers emerged from the surrounding buildings and rooftops. Within moments, the covert operation had erupted into a maniacal battlefield.

As the massive vessel finally unleashed its deadly barrage, Ruby used her semblance to weave through the firestorm. "DAMN IT," she yelled. _We were victims to a clever ruse._ She made her way out of the line of fire. _And once again, it's all my fault! More of our people are dying because of me!_ With a burst of rose petals, Ruby appeared at one of the grassy courtyards surrounded by small buildings. Even here, the fight continued, Beacon students clashing with White Fang. _Wait a second, _she thought. _This wasn't my plan. It was-_

Before she could finish her thought, a flailing White Fang soldier flew past her and crashed into a nearby wall. Ruby turned to see her golden-haired sister, cracking her knuckles with a satisfied smile. "Yo!"

"Yang!" exclaimed the Ruby, running up to her sister and catching her in a hug. "I'm so sorry! About everything!"

"Not now, sis," Yang patted her little sister's head lovingly. "We'll talk about it later, okay?" The blonde brought her eyes up, when a surprised look flashed across her face. Striding in from the other side of the courtyard was the cat-like Captain Belladonna, followed closely by four White Fang soldiers. Fresh blood dripped off the edge of Gambol Shroud's blade. Yang pushed her sister in the opposite direction. "Go find Jaune," she said to Ruby, who stumbled away with reluctance. The brawler turned back toward Blake, raising her fists. "This bitch is mine."

The Faunus girl smiled before turning to her soldiers. "Join up with Commander Taurus's squad at the southern gate," she commanded. "I'll handle things here." As the men broke off, Blake returned her attention to her former partner, folding Gambol Shroud into its pistol form and slowly swinging the weapon by its black ribbon.

Ruby watched in awe from the nearest rooftop as the flurry of yellow and black exploded on the grass below. She could barely keep track of their movements, each combatant fueled by their contempt toward the other. Yang was literally ablaze, throwing punches and kicks infused with raging fire. Blake darted around the battlefield, shooting out semblance clones and swinging her weapon in controlled curves. Yet throughout all the madness, neither girl could land a hit on the other. After being partners for a year, they knew each other's fighting styles far too well.

Or so Ruby thought.

At a pivotal point in the battle, it seemed as though Blake made an error, hurling her weapon directly at Yang. "Nope!" yelled the blonde as she caught Gambol Shroud in midair and pulled it violently. To Ruby's surprise, the Faunus released the weapon's black ribbon, surrendering the gun. The unexpected lack of resistance caused Yang to stumble backwards, temporarily lowering her guard. Seizing her opening, Blake shot forward in a streak of black. The devious feline grabbed the handle of her weapon and pulled one of its switches.

Gambol Shroud unfolded, running its dark blade straight through the brawler's chest.

With the terrifying scream that Ruby let loose, Yang's name echoed across every mile of Remnant.

Blake grasped the handle of her blade and kicked the blond girl away, letting her body collapse onto the blood-soaked grass. Wiping the weapon clean on Yang's jacket, the Faunus girl shot a passing glance at Ruby before darting off toward the front of the school.

Ruby descended, leaving a streak of tears in the air as she fell toward her sister. She dropped to her knees as she reached the golden-haired girl. Yang turned her head slowly to face her sister, her breath shallow and raspy. She managed a pained smile and a small laugh before closing her eyes. Ruby let her head fall onto her sister's body, soaking her clothes with tears. _Is this really happening? Are these the cards that fate drew for us? Traitors and bloodbaths? _She sobbed and screamed, not noticing how quiet the night had become.

After a few minutes, Ruby had grown silent. She vanished in a cloud of rose petals, rocketing toward the front of the academy.

* * *

Ruby landed on the tiled pathway near the front gate. The battle was drawing to a close. Beacon had fallen. She had been hunting for the traitorous Faunus in one last act of defiance, but her bloodthirsty rage receded temporarily when she saw a familiar figure. "Jaune?" she called. The blond boy had his back to her, holding Pyrrha in a tight embrace. _I guess the threat of death and desolation finally brought their feelings to light_, thought Ruby. She could not muster a smile after what had just happened, but she was happy for them.

Was.

Seemingly hearing Ruby's call, Jaune turned. His face, however, betrayed the tone of the situation. Ruby shuddered, seeing his mouth curled in the same malicious grin that she had seen before. At that point, she noticed just how limp Pyrrha was. Appropriate behavior, of course, for someone impaled upon a sword. With a small laugh, Jaune withdrew his weapon and tossed Pyrrha's body aside. She landed next to the figures of Weiss and Ren, both blood-soaked and unmoving.

The reality of the situation finally surfaced in her mind. Jaune was the one who had suggested the sudden rebellion. _He's in allegiance with the White Fang. That brave plan of his was just bait. _Ruby collapsed, her eyes wide and staring into space. Her entire body shivered, and her breathing was fast and heavy. _Why?_ Everything that had happened rushed back to her in a roaring flood, the entire universe converging on that moment. _Where did we fail? _The bloody bodies. The school in ruins. Two of her friends were traitors, while the rest no longer existed. _And Jaune. Everyone was dead by his handiwork. _The screams that had been filling the air earlier that night came back to her, ghosts of fallen comrades tearing at her heart. She curled up on the ground, trembling hands pressed tightly against her skull.

_None._

_Of._

_This._

_Should._

_Be._

_Happening._

The red girl's body went limp. The overwhelming intensity of the situation seemed to have brought her full circle. She rolled over and stared at the black sky, her mind in a surreal state of calm and clarity. The girl thought back upon the day, pushing past the violence and death to remember every detail. _Nothing seems right. None of this makes sense. _Ruby was breathing normally again. Her mind raced across time. She realized that the uneasiness that she had been feeling for the entire day had indeed been her intuition. But it was not just about the White Fang ruse or Jaune Arc's betrayal. Her mind had been telling her that everything was wrong.

Jaune appeared in her view, standing above her like a grinning colossus. "What's wrong, Ruby?" he asked, his blade poised above her face. With a newfound resolve powering her every move, Ruby rolled aside before he had a chance to drop his hand.

Ruby flipped to a standing position while unfolding Crescent Rose to its rifle form. She stood at a distance and aimed her weapon directly at the blond boy's face. "So," she said in a level tone, "mind telling me who you are?"

The swordsman gave a small chuckle. "Jaune Arc, nice to meet you," he said with sarcasm.

"Nope." Her curt answer seemed to take Jaune by surprise. "The Jaune Arc I know would never do something like this. He's a loveable goofball that can barely swing a sword correctly, but he would never, EVER, betray his friends or his team. And his aura abilities, as good as they are, could not have healed me to perfection so quickly. So, you sir," she cocked her rifle and edged closer, "are both too competent AND too much of an ass to be Jaune Arc."

The man in front of her no longer smiled, his face reverting to an expression of slight frustration. "Ruby, what are y-"

"And," she cut him off, "it's not just you! There were a lot of things that did not make sense recently, though I'd just brushed them off as paranoid over thinking at the time." Ruby smiled for the first time since that afternoon. She could see that "Jaune" was starting to worry. The girl continued with her monologue.

"I know Beacon. I know that it's practically a fortress full of able and willing fighters. There's no conceivable way that a single White Fang assault force with standard armaments could have taken the school in ONE DAY! The teachers alone could have probably fought you off. But wait! Where are the teachers, huh? I haven't seen a single one ever since this whole thing started. And none of them were dead, executed, or anything of the sort. They were just gone! Even before the attack happened, that freak storm hit, conveniently trapping us in the forest for the night. Not to mention that our scrolls didn't even receive Beacon's distress call. The ENTIRE scenario seems too contrived, as if everything since yesterday was designed to bring us to this moment." Ruby laughed. "Though THIS exact moment isn't what you had in mind, was it?" The blond man's mouth was curled down in annoyance.

"Anyway, it wasn't just the scenario. Everyone was acting so strangely. Our friends were a little too hostile toward us, even considering the situation that they were in. And I know Blake. She's never approved of the White Fang's new way, especially since they're in allegiance with Roman. There's no way she'd join them and betray every friend she has here. And Yang! Blake loves Yang like a sister! Seeing the way Blake killed her…as devastating as it was at the time, I don't believe it for a second anymore!"

Ruby observed the blond man. Though still clearly upset, he seemed to have gotten calmer. "One more thing you don't know about Jaune Arc," she said, unfolding her weapon to its scythe form. "He was madly in love with Pyrrha Nikos." She smiled as the man's eyes widened in surprise. "Yep. But he was really quiet about it. Hell, I'm pretty sure I'm the only one he's told. See, he trusts me. And I trust him. We know each other very well, and I KNOW that my friend Jaune Arc would never murder Pyrrha like that." She gestured to the lifeless body behind him. "Of course, you are not Jaune Arc."

Without warning, the red girl rushed forward, unleashing a relentless volley of scythe attacks toward her opponent. The man swiftly drew his sword. Only his sword. While Ruby swung her scythe in a graceful dance of red, the man twisted and spun, expertly using his blade to deflect every strike.

The skirmish lasted for twenty seconds, after which Ruby was satisfied. _Checkmate, pal. I can recognize that fighting style any day._ She jumped back, reverting Crescent Rose to a rifle and pointing it at the blond man. "This sick little game of yours ends here, Roman."

The man stared at her with wide eyes for several seconds before his expression relaxed to a casual smile. He dropped his sword to the ground and threw his hands up in mock surrender. The voice that sounded from his mouth clearly did not belong to Jaune. "I have to say, Red, you're brighter than I thought you were."

The world around them started to shift. The bodies and the debris faded away as every color started to blend together. The shapes and shadows of Beacon swirled around them until the two combatants were surrounded by nothing but peaceful gray clouds in every direction. With a brief flash of light, Jaune was gone, replaced by the unmistakable orange-haired criminal.

"Let me guess," he purred, resting both of his hands on his cane. "You want me to explain everything." At Ruby's nod, Roman loosed an exasperated sigh. "Guess it's my turn to monologue, kid."

Roman made an exaggeration of clearing his throat. "How should I put this? Hmmm. You were…a beta tester." He paused to enjoy Ruby's confused look. "In essence, you were a test subject for a new technology we are tentatively calling 'telepathic psychological torture.' I know, I know, annoying name. Our tech guys aren't very creative. Anyway, using a wonderful combination of advanced machinery and Dust, we've found a way to send a subject into a coma and trap their conscious mind in a massive hallucination of our choosing. Now obviously with 'torture' in the name, we're going to induce some fairly horrific hallucinations in an attempt to utterly decimate the psyche of our subject. You of course know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you, Red? How did that whole 'brutal murder of all your friends and colleagues because you are an absolute failure' scenario make you feel? Hm?"

Ruby gritted her teeth, a few tear drops running down her cheek. _Everything I've been through today. The fall of Beacon. All of it was a damn lie. I knew it._ "Keep talking," she said, pushing her rifle closer to his face.

Roman laughed. "You know, I should inform you that your little weapon isn't going to do you any good here. In case you haven't caught on by now, we're STILL in the hallucination. And you're STILL in a coma! Fantastic, isn't it? What a time to be alive!" The orange-haired man looked very pleased with himself. "But I digress. All we needed was a good test subject. And it's a blessing that you showed up! Of course, we had to coax you with a little bait. Some well-acted screaming and a "kidnapping" staged by some of our White Fang members supplied that."

The red-cloaked girl sighed, remembering how she had rushed in to save the "victim." _Yet even more lies._

Roman continued. "Now, we obviously have a few more bugs to sort out, or else you and I wouldn't be having this pleasant conversation. You'd be curled up in a ball, psychologically scarred forever, and I'd be laughing hysterically. And I'm an honest man; I'll take part of the blame. I failed to act the part of your idiotic friend Jaune Arc accurately. You see, we need someone on our end to be inside the subject's hallucination to make appropriate corrections and manipulations. For this trial, that someone was me. Which meant having to disguise myself as one of your comrades. Of course, if our field agents," he spoke of them with a hint of annoyance, "had given me more detailed info on Beacon and its students, some of that trouble might have been avoided."

Ruby was still taking all of it in. "Psychological torture? How could you be so cruel?!"

Roman clasped his hands together in the manner of a salesman. "Because. It. Produces. Results. And it's so fun and easy to do it this way!" He snapped his fingers.

Ruby's eyes widened as Yang, beaten and bloody, appeared as a limp figure on the ground. The blond girl turned her face to her with a weak expression. "Ruby …" she whimpered.

_It's just a hallucination, _thought Ruby. _Roman already told me the about the illusion, so what is he trying to pull?_

With a small chuckle, Roman walked over and grabbed Yang's neck, lifting her broken body into the air. _Oh gods. No, no Ruby. It's not real. It's not real!_ Roman held out his hand, a replica of Gambol Shroud in its blade form appearing in his grip. Ruby shuddered. _No, it's not real. It's not real_. He raised the blade. _Not real. Not real._ Pressed it against her chest. _Not real, not real, not real._ With a grin, Roman ran her through with the sword as blood burst from Yang's mouth.

"ROMAN!" shouted Ruby. She dashed forward in a blur of red, raising Crescent Rose's scythe form over her head and swinging it down upon the smiling orange-haired man.

The scythe's blade struck Roman's collarbone and embedded itself deep into his body. At least, it would have under normal circumstances. Ruby, breathing heavily, looked up. Yang was gone, and her scythe had slipped seamlessly through Roman. The man stared at her with a smirk. "Interesting…even after learning the magician's secrets, the show still struck your heart. Emotions are funny things, aren't they?"

Ruby slowly regained her composure and stowed Crescent Rose. She wasn't even sure what to feel anymore. "Roman, I'm tired of all of this. Take me back to Beacon. Now. Or I promise you, the others will find me. And I can't even begin to imagine what they'll do to you."

The man sighed as if he were talking to a child. "Red, Red, Red…don't you get it? You ARE at Beacon. You always have been. This is a TE-LE-PA-THIC process. And," he checked his watch, "our telepathic bridge is going to dissipate any minute now. That means that my little shortcut into your brain will, unfortunately, cease to exist. So before I leave, I have to thank you. Your grand hallucinated adventure has given us valuable data to improve our new tech. Rest easy with the knowledge that your misfortune has aided in furthering our goals!"

"You're sick, Roman," Ruby remarked through gritted teeth. "Why are you even telling me all of your precious secrets, anyway?"

Roman gave one more chuckle. "In a few seconds, kid, none of that is going to matter." He snapped his fingers and disappeared. Ruby watched as the dull gray clouds around her began to glow. Within seconds, the clouds' brightness reached blinding levels. The girl shielded her eyes.

* * *

Light. Ruby's silver eyes snapped open. Her mind slowly registered the scenery of Beacon's hospital around her. She was wearing a medical gown and lying on one of the beds. "_Until we meet again, Red_," echoed a distant voice.

"…what…?" Ruby said weakly. _Agh. How long has it been since I've used my voice…?_

Something stirred next to her. Curious, Ruby turned, only to see Weiss staring back at her with wide eyes. "Ruby…?" she said with a quiet voice. With a sudden smile, she pressed a few buttons on her scroll and spoke into it. "She's awake!"

"And you're alive!" shouted Ruby.

Weiss shot a puzzled stare back at her. "Yes…why wouldn't I be?"

Ruby sank back down, confused. _She's right. Why say such a thing?_ Ruby felt like she had been doing something important. Something both exciting and terrifying. She shook her head. Whatever was giving her such a feeling, she was unable to remember it. Just a blur of a dream that had been torn away by the midday light.

Weiss's facial expression suddenly became stern. "Why did you rush into the forest on your own, you dolt?! Do you know how worried we were?!"

The red-haired girl blinked. She vaguely remembered being in Forever Fall. "Weiss, what happened after that?"

The heiress continued with a sigh. "After you ran off, we tried to find you. We were getting nowhere…until we heard the explosion. When we got to the cliff, we found you unconscious. Yang said that she saw a Bullhead flying away, so we assumed that you'd had a run in with the White Fang. And ever since then, you've been in a coma! For five days!" Ruby winced as Weiss gave her a light slap on the cheek. The silver-haired girl's expression softened. "But I'm glad you're okay. I don't know how I'd deal with the loss of a partner AND a leader."

"And a friend?" Ruby asked with a hopeful smile.

Weiss stared at her for a few seconds before reciprocating. "Yes…and a friend."

Their rare moment of bonding was interrupted by the arrival of a certain golden-haired girl. "Ruby!" exclaimed Yang, rushing to her sister's side.

Ruby's face brightened. For some reason, she was extraordinarily overjoyed to see her sister, as if she had never expected to be with her again. The red-haired girl leapt up from her pillow and grabbed Yang in an embrace. Ruby would never be able to figure out why, but she was weeping with joy as she held her.

"Hey sis," said Yang, hearing her sister's small cries. "You okay?"

Ruby pulled back and looked at her sister through watery eyes. "I…don't know…" She had a quivering smile on her face.

Upon seeing her eyes, Yang pulled Ruby back into her arms. They sat together for what seemed like an eternity. Which meant that, contrary to the widely accepted laws of the universe, an eternity ends when a Faunus walks into the room.

"Sorry I took so long to get here," said the feline girl. "It's good to see you're finally awake, Ruby."

The sisters separated to greet the newcomer. Upon seeing Blake, however, Ruby's chest tightened. Her heartbeat quickened, and she was suddenly filled with unexplainable contempt.

"Um…Ruby?" Blake tilted her head, a concerned frown appearing on her face. Her black bow wriggled in a curious manner.

"Blake…it's you…" Ruby muttered. She subconsciously clung tighter to her sister with trembling hands. _What's wrong with me? Why am I angry at Blake?_ Strange images flashed briefly into her mind. A dark blade. Gold hair smeared with blood. With a small cry, she buried her face into her sister's shoulder.

The Faunus girl, with a melancholy look in her eyes, turned for the door. She had gotten about half way there when a small voice stopped her. "Blake, wait…"

Blake returned her attention to the bed, only to be caught in Ruby's arms. The young girl was still crying, but she strained a smile as she pulled away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. I'm just…a little confused, that's all." She wiped her eyes with a shaky hand. "Thank you for being here, Blake."

The feline girl smiled as she placed a comforting hand on Ruby's shoulder. "What kind of a teammate would I be if I didn't look after my leader?"

The blond girl cleared her throat, drawing the others' attention. "Sis, the doc will probably want you to stay here for a few more days," said Yang, ruffling her little sister's hair. "Anyway, the rest of us need to get to class. We'll be back tonight, Ruby!" Yang hugged her sister once more before leaving. Weiss smiled at Ruby and walked away. Blake, still a bit wary of her leader's earlier reaction, decided to depart without saying anything.

Returning to her bed, Ruby closed her eyes as she fell to her pillow. For the first time in what seemed like centuries, she was home.

* * *

**Afterthoughts:**

And that's my first story. Please feel free to leave a review! I really enjoyed making this one (though I may have gotten carried away with Roman's dialogue; he's just so much fun to write). Depending on if anyone actually reads this (and enjoys it), I may consider writing more stories in the future. If not...well this may have been both my first and my last, haha. Anyway, thanks for reading!

P.S.: Bonus points for anyone who caught the tiny Red vs. Blue reference.


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